A Burning Thing {Avi Kaplan fanfic}

-9-

If I thought it was difficult keeping my secret from Austin and his family, keeping it from Scott, Mitch and Kirstie was impossible.

I don't know what was harder, trying not to smile at inappropriate moments, or trying not to look desperately sad at the realization that in just under a week we'd be leaving to tour the other side of the world for the better part of a month. I loved touring, but I hated to pick up and leave when Ellie and I had only just begun to get to know each other.

I startled when Mitch snapped his fingers at me.

"Hellooooooo!! Avi, where are you?! You've been in a daze all morning!"

"I'm sorry guys, I was hoping to wait until Kevin got back to tell you, but I guess you could say I have some news." I took a deep breath, fearful of what I was in for. "I kind of met someone."

For the next 15 seconds it sounded like I'd landed in an orangutan cage, but once the shouting and squealing and "Whaaaaattt?!" had died down, I explained.

"Holy crap, Avi, you are seriously smitten!" Kirstie exclaimed as I rambled on at (possibly excessive) length about Ellie's many winning attributes, and Scott started to hyperventilate at the prospect of meeting a member of Austin's family.

"Have you done it yet?" Mitch said playfully, poking me in the ribs.

"None of your business!"

"That's a yeeessss!" Scott shouted.

I blushed. "You guys have to promise not to hassle her too much. She wants to meet you but I told her I didn't think she was ready for the interrogation."

"We promise to be good!" Kirstie pleaded. "Kevin is going to be back tonight, why don't you bring her to my place and we'll make her a nice dinner and we can all get to know her. Hey, does Esther know yet?"

Oh shit. My sister. She wasn't quite as sitting-on-the-porch-with-a-shotgun protective as Austin, but possibly a close second. A slingshot maybe.

"I guess I'd better call her before you three start holding press conferences."

"Well, do it soon so I can call her and plan for tonight!"

I called Esther from the car on the way back to my apartment. The conversation went better than anticipated but I was still nervous for the party-slash-interview that they all had planned for that evening.

When I got back to the apartment, Ellie was gone. I checked my phone to discover I'd missed a text from her.

/ Hey stud-muffin! I need to get unpacked and shake the cobwebs from my brain, so I'm going home for a bit. Exams start in a week. Ack! Call me when you're free. <3 /

That actually made me feel a bit better about going out on tour. It also made me feel like a bit of a self-centred ass. All I'd been thinking about was my tour and how I wouldn’t be able to spend every minute with her, when meanwhile she had important career-determining stuff going on too.

I called her cell and a horrible sound came through the speaker.

"Sorry, I hit answer before I shut off the vaccuum!"

"Hmm, can't wait to talk to me?" I teased, hoping it was true.

"'Fraid so. I don't want to spoil any illusions you might have of a domestic goddess but I hate chores, so any time I'm doing them you can guarantee that I'm either procrastinating or working off nervous energy."

"So which is it this time?"

"Um, both, I guess. Procrastinating opening my textbooks and anxiously awaiting a call from you."

"Well I hope I can help on both counts then."

"Oh definitely. Do you want to come over?"

I checked the time. Almost one o'clock. "Actually I need to ask you something. Remember how you wanted to meet everyone and I said that was a bad idea? Yeah, well, I kind of spilled and now they want to meet you. Tonight."

"Tonight?! Jeebus, I don't know whether to be thrilled or terrified."

"A bit of both is probably fair."

"Great, so I have … what … six hours to get ready?"

"Please tell me it doesn't take you six hours to get ready. Even Kirstie only takes three."

"No dummy, it takes me an hour to get ready and five hours to go shopping to find something to wear."

"I should have guessed. Do you want company?"

"NO! If I'm going to go find a hot outfit there is no way you're getting a sneak preview. It's my turn to make YOUR panties melt!"

"I like the sound of that. Well, except for the panties part. I don't wear panties."

"Yeah, I think I recall removing a pair of boxer briefs last night." I could hear the smile in her voice. "Damn, now you've got me all distracted. I have no time for sexy thoughts! Must shop!"

I looked at my watch with a smile. I think I have time for some sexy thoughts.

~~~~~